An endoscope is a piece of surgical equipment that has imaging capabilities so as to be able to provide images of an internal body cavity of a patient. Most minimally invasive surgical procedures performed in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract or other internal body cavities are accomplished with the aid of an endoscope.
Endoscopes are essentially formed by a flexible shaft that is introduced into the GI tract after being inserted in the body cavity, starting from the anus or from the mouth of a subject. The endoscope typically includes a steerable tip to facilitate navigation of the endoscope through the GI tract, and is typically of sufficient stiffness so that it can be advanced along the body cavity without buckling. The tip of the endoscope that is introduced in the GI tract can be outfitted with several devices, most notably an illumination device and a vision device, such as a vision integrated circuit, so that the operator of the endoscope can examine the interior of the GI tract and maneuver the tip of the endoscope into the proper position.
Endoscopes are typically utilized in extremely tortuous passageways, such as the GI tract, which requires the endoscope to be advanced by pushing on the proximal end of the scope while steering the tip inside the passageway, the endoscope thereby exerting pressure against the walls of the passageway. Such advancing techniques, in conjunction with the configuration of the endoscope and the GI tract, can result in localized patient discomfort or pain as the endoscope is pressed against the lumen wall during manipulation. At times when the endoscope is advanced, “looping” occurs, a condition where the endoscope forms a coiled shape when inserted. The loop may cause the side of the endoscope to press against the lumen wall, for example, the intestine, and distend the intestinal wall instead of advancing along the intestine. In conventional endoscope systems, patient discomfort is reduced in patients undergoing endoscopic GI procedures through the use of sedation. However, there are risks associated with the use of sedatives. Therefore, a need exists to provide localized anesthesia to a patient undergoing an endoscopic procedure.